Astralis benches cadiaN and brings in HooXi

Astralis has officially benched veteran in-game leader Casper “cadiaN” Møller after the team failed to qualify for the upcoming Austin Major. According to CEO Jakob Hansen, the decision was based on “lackluster results,” with both the team and cadiaN falling short of performance expectations.

The team has confirmed that former G2 IGL Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen will step in as cadiaN’s replacement. Alongside this roster change, Astralis has also parted ways with sports director Kasper Straube. These moves are part of a broader effort to improve results and return the team to form heading into upcoming competitions.

Here’s what to know about Astralis benching cadiaN and replacing him with HooXi, especially now.

Why did Astralis bench cadiaN?

Astralis has benched veteran in-game leader Casper “cadiaN” Moller after the team failed to qualify for the Austin Major. CEO Jakob Hansen mentions “lackluster results” as the reason, stating that neither cadiaN nor the team reached the expected performance level. cadiaN joined Astralis in September after leaving Team Liquid and had previously found success with Heroic, including winning the IEM Rio Major in 2022. Sadly, he couldn’t replicate those achievements during his time with Astralis.

Alongside changing the roster, Astralis has parted ways with sports director Kasper Straube. The CEO thanked Straube for his work since 2023, but emphasized that the changes were essential after the team’s results. The organization wants to strengthen its competitiveness, a big step being HooXi’s signing.

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Who is replacing cadiaN in Astralis’ CS2 roster?

Astralis has signed ex-G2 Esports IGL Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen as his cadiaN's replacement. Even though Hooxi has been inactive since G2 benched him in July 2023, he will take over in-game leadership duties due to how he was able to lead his teams to victories at events like the BLAST Premier World Final 2022 and IEM Cologne 2023. Former teammate m0NESY praised HooXi’s work ethic, calling him the best IGL he worked with at G2 due to his constant preparations and team-first approach.

HooXi will start his time with Astralis as a stand-in at PGL Astana 2025, starting May 10. The tournament will be his first competitive appearance in almost a year, and Astralis hopes his leadership can help the team perform better.